Millennium bcp, Portugal

The challenge

Millennium bcp had invested in a variety of physical security systems from different vendors, including video surveillance, access control and others. Information from these systems was dispersed and without order.

As a result, it was difficult to achieve a common operating picture (COP), understand situations correctly and act optimally. Moreover, unifying methodologies, procedures and standards throughout branches and operations proved to be challenging. The bank sought to unify and integrate these various systems into a single, holistic platform to increase operational efficiency and boost responsiveness.

The solution

After a comprehensive search and assessment of available solutions, Millennium bcp selected Situator to optimize its physical security operations. Deployed on Millennium bcp’s corporate network, Situator monitors over 800 branches and other buildings throughout Portugal.

The Hexagon solution is integrated with a wide array of bank sensors and security systems, including video surveillance, access control, panic buttons, intrusion and fire alarm panels and fire detection systems, as well as VoIP, text messaging and email gateways.

Situator merges data from these sensors into a COP. It analyzes and correlates this information, then applies standard operating procedures and automated response plans.

The result

Since deploying Situator in 2011, the bank has been able to establish a consolidated operations center named the Millennium Security Room (MSR). Through Situator’s ability to integrate and unify existing infrastructure and various security systems, the bank reduced operating costs substantially.

Because Situator can correlate information and provide video confirmation of alarms in real time, the bank has been able to reduce false alarms from approximately 20,000 to 1,200 per year, resulting in considerable savings.

With all procedures, processes and workflows implemented in Situator, consistent and optimal responses are now ensured, regardless of who is monitoring the system at any given time.

The security needs of banks are not only numerous, but also quite complex. The sensitive nature of the iindustry and the branch environment requires banks to address events such as intrusion, invalid access control and tampering, robberies and alarm panel communications failures, etc. With Situator, Millennium bcp can address these events through automatic alarms that contain event information. It then enables operators to verify their validity.

The solution improves response and mitigates risk by automatically connecting control room personnel and relevant branches. It also connects with external agencies (local police, etc.) automatically, if needed. Additionally, it provides step-by-step instructions via pre-approved and adaptable response plans to the bank’s security personnel so they can handle unfolding incidents optimally and consistently.

“Thanks to Situator, we are able to track and enforce compliance with the bank’s policies and regulations, provide reports to the management and support constant improvement. We have been consistently impressed with the excellent support we receive from the Hexagon team, and how easy it makes implementing the bank’s procedures,” explained Vitor Monteiro, head of physical security at Millennium bcp.

“Deployment of the Situator solution allows Millennium bcp to fully integrate and centralize the bank’s various physical security systems. Our new control room operation was built through the integration of Situator in our IT systems’ architecture and implementing smarter situation management solutions,” he said.

The customer

Millennium bcp is Portugal’s largest private bank. Headquartered in the city of Porto, the bank has nearly 4.3 million customers throughout the world and over 500 branches in Portugal, as well as other countries in Europe and Africa.